1955 in the Vietnam War
United States |combatant2= Anti-government insurgents: Viet Minh cadres |group="A"}} -Binh Xuyen Supported by SDECE -Hòa Hảo sect -Cao Dai sect | commander2 = Ba Cut | yearcost1 = }} In 1998 after a high level review by the Department of Defense (DoD) and through the efforts of Richard B. Fitzgibbon's family the start date of when the Americans believe the Vietnam War started was changed to November 1, 1955. The November 1955 date was chosen as the new start date because that was when the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) that reorganized from a general Indochina into the different countries that the deployments were stationed. So on November 1, 1955 a Vietnamese MAAG was created. April ;April 27 – May 1955 The Battle for Saigon was a month-long battle between the Vietnamese National Army of the State of Vietnam and the private army of the Binh Xuyen organised crime syndicate. At the time, the Binh Xuyen was licensed with controlling the national police by Emperor Bảo Đại, and Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem issued an ultimatum for them to surrender and come under state control. The battle started on April 27, 1955 and the VNA had largely crushed the Binh Xuyen within a week. May ;May 1 Ngo Dinh Diem marches his army to Cao Dai political center in Tây Ninh under the shadow of the Black Virgin Mountain. He forced the Cao Dai pope, Pham Cong Tac, to flee to Cambodia and takes the political power of the Cao Dai sect for himself and absorbs their army into the fledging National Army. June ;June 5 After Battle for Saigon eliminated the forces of Binh Xuyen. Ngo Dinh Diem turned his sights to Binh Xuyen's allies the religious army of Hòa Hảo sect. Five Hòa Hảo battalions surrendered immediately; four remaining leaders had fled to the Cambodian border by the end of the month. The soldiers of the three other leaders eventually surrendered, but one Hòa Hảo leader, Ba Cụt's men continued fighting till his capture in 1956, claiming loyalty to the Emperor Bảo Đại. October ;October 23 The State of Vietnam referendum of 1955 determined the future form of government of the State of Vietnam, the nation that was to become the Republic of Vietnam (widely known as South Vietnam). It was contested by Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm, who proposed a republic, and former emperor Bảo Đại. Bảo Đại had abdicated as emperor in 1945 and at the time of the referendum held the title of head of state. Diệm won the election, which was widely marred by electoral fraud, with 98.2% of the vote. In the capital Saigon, Diệm was credited with over 600,000 votes, even though only 450,000 people were on the electoral roll. He accumulated tallies in excess of 90% of the registered voters, even in rural regions where opposition groups prevented voting. November ;November 1 The American Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) that reorganized from a general Indochina into the different countries that the deployments were stationed. Year in numbers Annotations Bibliography ;Notes ;References * - Total pages: 1549 * * * * * - Total pages: 381 * * - Total pages: 247 * * - Total pages: 1196 Category:Years in the Vietnam War War Vietnam